


Fireworks

by StardustSky



Series: Summer Memories [2]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Family, Fireworks, Focusing on Scrooge and Donald, Gen, Memories, One Shot, Past and Present
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-23 03:19:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15597084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StardustSky/pseuds/StardustSky
Summary: Watching the fireworks with his family was always something Donald looked forward to as a kid. And even after many years, some little things never change.





	Fireworks

**Author's Note:**

> I am still new in the Ducktales/Duck verse universe and have much more to learn. I hope this story makes some sense in the canon verse and they are in character.
> 
> I created a series for some summer drabbles I wrote (titled Summer Memories). They can be read in any order.  
> This is the second one out of (hopefully) 10. Enjoy!

The annual summer fireworks in Duckburg were always something Della and Donald would look forward to when they were little ducklings.

The lights in the sky, the cute glowing bracelets they would always beg their Uncle Scrooge to buy for them, the fact that they could stay up a little later that night; everything about fireworks was fun to them.

However, there was one thing that was less exciting…when people would stand in front of _their_ spot, blocking _their_ view, and right before the fireworks started.

And no matter how much little Donald complained about it, said people simply ignored him. It happened more frequently than not.

Thankfully, Della always found a great idea for them to enjoy the view regardless. She usually climbed a giant tree, the tree near the bench their uncle would always sit, and helped her twin climb it with her. And together they had the best seats to see the fireworks.

On one night, however, Donald wasn’t capable of climbing the tree.

He had injured his arm earlier that week while adventuring with Della and Scrooge. And while Della climbed on top of the tree with extreme ease, Donald couldn’t even reach the closest branch without putting pressure on his arm, even with his sister’s help.

“It’s unfair!” He whined, moping. The fireworks were about to start and he had no way of enjoying them this year.

Della shrugged, feeling bad for her brother. Sadly, there wasn’t much else she could do to help her twin. With a contemplating frown, she glimpsed at her uncle who was still sitting on the bench. There was no way Scrooge could see anything from there, but he didn’t care much for fireworks. He never said it, but Della figured that he would only come here just for Donald and her.

“Maybe you can ask Uncle Scrooge to let you sit on his shoulders,” She suggested. It sounded like a good idea to her, but by the way Donald looked at her with giant eyes, felt like she asked him to rob a bank.

“No way!” Donald immediately replied.

“Why not?”

Donald didn’t say a word. He couldn’t say it.

He always felt like Della was their uncle’s favourite and not him. He was sure that if he were to ask his uncle, the latter would say no. And he preferred to keep the theory of Scrooge not liking him just a theory, and not a fact.

In response to the silence, Della decided that she should do something, “I’ll ask Uncle Scrooge for you,”

“NO!” Donald replied, abruptly holding her by the arm.

Della didn’t appreciate the gesture, but her frown rapidly disappeared. “Fine, but I don’t know what else I can do to help you,” She sighed.

Donald nodded, he was still upset, but didn’t want to ruin the fun for her. At least, one of them could still enjoy the night. He walked away from the tree, deciding to pout elsewhere.

He glanced over at his uncle. Scrooge’s eyes were on his pocket watch instead of the sky and he looked bored.

The places next to Scrooge, on the bench, were already taken by other people, so Donald sat on the ground next to it, head resting on his knees.

Scrooge looked at him, concern appearing on his face, “Something wrong, lad? You don’t want to join your sister?”

“I can’t. My arm hurts…”

“Oh…” Scrooge’s reverted his eyes to the sky, he was uncomfortable and didn’t know what to say. The fireworks were about to start in a few seconds and they had no time to find another good place in this crowd.

He sighed then, “We could have watched the fireworks from home, but you two _always_ want to come here of _all_ places. Just because they sell those silly glowing lights that only last for a couple of hours.”

Donald knew that he shouldn’t have expected anything, but he was still heartbroken. He groaned, hiding his face in hope that he wouldn’t hear any more from his uncle. Instead of looking forward to the first firework, he played with his blue glowing bracelet. He didn’t care about what Scrooge said, he loved _his_ “Silly” bracelet. It was the only good thing that he had tonight.

With a remorseful sigh, the uncle got up and took off his hat to leave it on the bench.

Donald was caught off guard when he realised his uncle scooped him up and sat him on his shoulders.

“What?”

“Enjoy it lad. I won’t be able to carry you on my shoulder for many years to come.” Scrooge laughed.

The duckling smiled, finally he looked up and enjoyed the pretty fireworks. He wasn’t as high as he would be up in the tree, but in his eyes, he had the best view.

“The yellow ones are my favourite,” Scrooge admitted. He couldn’t see it, but he knew that his nephew was smiling. And if there was one thing he thought was absolutely precious about his little nephew, it was that innocent and bright smile.

Donald was a little surprised to hear this. He didn’t even know his uncle liked fireworks in the first place. He rested his chin on top of his uncle’s head and gently hugged him. “My favourite are the blue ones! But now the yellow ones are my favourite as well!”

***

“I bought enough for everyone!” Donald’s raspy loud voice seemed to echo in the big living room of the McDuck manor.

He held a plastic bag with multiple glowing bracelets and stick lights of many colours.

In an instant, the four kids who were hanging onto every word Scrooge said, all ran towards Donald.

The triplets rummaged through the bag, each one taking a bracelet of their respective colours, bright smiles on their face.

“They didn’t have pink ones, sorry. But I got a purple one for you,” Donald said, offering the bag to Webby who was politely waiting for her turn.

The girl offered a warm smile, gratefulness shining in her eyes.

“Thank you, Mr. Donald,” She took a bracelet and mirrored Dewey who put his blue one on top of his head like a crown.

Scrooge couldn’t help but to be a little jealous of how the children just forgot about him. Just as he was about to tell them the best part of his story…

“What is the meaning of this?” He asked, keeping an aloof demeanour.

“It’s for the Duckburg fireworks.” His nephew explained, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s going to start soon!” Dewey exclaimed, jumping up and down. He couldn’t contain his excitement anymore.

“Every year, we would see the fireworks from the houseboat. We had a great view from there.” Huey explained to Webby.

“But this year we can see them from the big balcony on the second floor, right?” Louie asked her.

Webby nodded, “Of course! It is where grandma and I watch them, every year.”

“Ha, this is the life,” Louie relaxed, a smile forming on his face, “Away from the mosquito bites and the cold sea wind of the night.”

The four kids walked away, talking about previous memories and leaving the adults to themselves.

“Where did you even get all of these?” Scrooge asked again, pointing at the plastic bag. This time he couldn’t hide the bitterness in his tone.

Donald didn’t reply, he simply glared at him. He didn’t want to be angry now, not before the firework watch with the kids. Watching the fireworks was always a nice family moment for him, and he wouldn’t let Scrooge ruin it.

Seeing the tension in the air—and the pettiness of her employer—Beakley replied instead, “You can get a bunch of them at the dollar store.”

“Dollar Store?!” Scrooge gasped with genuine agony. “I had to buy these for 5 dollars each when you were a kid! And now you are telling me you can get them for _one_ dollar?!”

Donald and Beakley rolled their eyes, the first one decided to follow the kids instead, not wanting anything to do with this conversation.

“Perhaps, you should join your family for the fireworks as well,” Beakley recommended after a heavy sigh.

“I don’t care at all for fireworks.” He replied, looking away and folding his arms.

“I am sure the boys would appreciate it,” She added.

As a response, Scrooge threw his hands up and followed, but not without a frown.

***

Except for some excited screams, the kids were quiet while admiring the fireworks. Something that impressed Scrooge.

He pressed his back against the wall, his eyes were on the people surrounding him instead of the sky. He glanced over at Donald. His nephew was also back against the wall, arms folded, not so far from him.

Donald’s eyes were still shining as he looked at the sky, just like they were so long ago as a kid. He even had a blue glowing bracelet that one of the triplets gave him, evoking Scrooge summer memories from long ago.

“You know, I can hire the best pyrotechnician and make better fireworks. If everyone cares so much about these, we can have them every night. It would be better than those lazy fireworks, at least.” The old duck muttered. No one replied to him, though he had a suspicion they all perfectly heard him.

“Why would you spend money on things you don’t like?” Donald finally asked after a while, his eyes not detached from the sky.

Scrooge was taken aback. From all the people who would respond, he thought Donald would be the last.

“If it makes the kids happy, why not?” He replied, “Or at least, I could donate and recommend some _decent_ pyrotechnicians to the town. These fireworks are plain boring.”

“They always been like that. They don’t need to be spectacular. The kids will love them regardless. It’s more about who you see the fireworks with, that makes them spectacular.”

Scrooge frowned and groaned at first, but then looked at the sky for the first time that night.

From what he remembered, it felt like the town improved their pyrotechnics since the last time he had the occasion to look at them. Now they were many more colours and patterns.

Perhaps his nephew wasn’t wrong.

“Well, if it were _my_ fireworks, I would have definitely added more blue and yellow.” Scrooge said almost too quietly. He now remembered the last time he watched the fireworks with people he cared for.

He wasn’t sure if Donald heard him. The duck’s eyes were still on the lights in the sky, but the small nostalgic smile forming on his nephew’s face comforted him.


End file.
